


two sword-wielding half galra

by BlueMorpho (caacrinolaas)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AU where lotor isn't a bitch and actually got redemption, Autistic Keith (Voltron), Developing Friendships, Gen, Keith and Lotor bond over swords, author knows nothing about swords, whomst is season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-08 19:35:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15936875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caacrinolaas/pseuds/BlueMorpho
Summary: Keith forces himself to stick around for a conversation he desperately wants to get out of. In the end, he's glad he didn't run off at first sight.





	two sword-wielding half galra

**Author's Note:**

> So... hey! This is actually the first work I've ever uploaded in over least a year on any website, and it's the first fan fiction I've ever written for a fandom. I'm kinda nervous because I'm definitely no writer but I'm forcing myself to upload this short thing anyways. I'll probably be writing longer stuff eventually 
> 
> Side note; because vld didn't give me the Keith & Lotor friendship I deserved then I'll do it myself. Lotor deserved a better arc and you can fight me on this

After Allura dismissed Keith from the control room, he decided to make his way down to the training room. He hadn't been able to use it in awhile, having been off with the Blades. 

However, now that the long mission he had been given was over, Keith was allowed to take leave in the Castle of Lions. While he wouldn't admit it, it must have been apparent he appreciated this deeply, as he visited every time he was given a break. 

Funnily enough, it just so happened that the source of said long mission was taking residency in the castle. Keith hadn't had the chance to speak to Lotor, and if he had, he avoided it. 

As Keith entered the training room, he realized that it wasn't empty as he thought it would be. As he walked in further towards the commotion, he instantly recognized the light-haired, purple-skinned half Galra, clashing his sword against the training gladiator. 

Keith considered bolting then and there. However, the sight before him was interesting enough to drown out the growing dread of the idea of social interaction, and enough for his mouth to start forming a question before his mind stopped it. 

"You use a sword?" Keith blurted out the question before he could stop himself, and instantly cursed himself. The Emperor started at the question, glancing back at the source. 

"End training simulation." Lotor turned towards Keith as the gladiator receded, sheathed his sword, and began to make his way over to him. 

Lotor was much taller than he originally thought, especially now that he was out of the cell. Suddenly feeling unsafe and exposed, Keith rubbed his thumb on his forefinger in apprehension, his other hand subtlety reaching back towards his blade. Lotor seemed to notice the latter, but payed no mind as he stopped several feet away. 

"Yes, my expertise is in sword fighting. Many Galra prefer close combat and brute force in battle, so mastering the blade has given me the ability to have the upper hand many times. Are you interested in learning?" Lotor questioned. 

"Oh, no, I actually... I use a sword, too. I was just sorta surprised." Keith crossed his arms and shrugged. 

"Ah, so you are a fellow sword fighter?" An eyebrow quirked. "May I ask, what type of sword do you use?" 

Keith squirmed inwardly, uncertain if he was comfortable with this small talk with Lotor. It doesn't help that Keith had been out for his blood merely months ago. However, much to Lance's chagrin, Allura had been pressuring them all to try to bond with Lotor more as he slowly settled in as a permanent resident of the castle. 

Though Keith wasn't the castle's greatest talker, he decided to push through the conversation to avoid being singled out as one of the two that dart away from the half-Altean at first sight. 

"It's, uh, it was given to me by my father. I actually don't know much about swords, and definitely not space swords, so I couldn't tell you." Keith looked anywhere except Lotor's steady gaze. "But I know it's made out of luxite." 

"Luxite?" The other half-Galra's eyes widened, beginning to look more curious than before. "Would you care if I take a look at it?" 

Keith's stomach dropped. Even after discovering the blade's secret, he still disliked the idea of other people handling it, as he knew the sword was more of an heirloom than anything. 

However, he knew the Emperor would not do anything, not with the cameras, sensors, and unspoken warnings that surrounded him from all sides and angles. While he was trusted enough to go into certain places of the castle, he remained heavily monitored. 

Taking a breath, Keith took the knife from it's case and held it out. Lotor took it from him and began turning it in his clawed hands, observing the details. 

"Luxite swords are so rarely seen anymore, in fact, it has been ages since I have been able to see one up close... one that isn't violently swinging in my direction, of course." Lotor smirked slightly as Keith chuckled lightly at that. 

Apparently satisfied with what he had seen, he handed the blade back over to Keith, who took it back as calmly as he could as to not expose his nerves. Putting the knife back into its original place, Keith let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. 

Suddenly, it occurred to Keith that there was now someone on board who was more skilled at the sword than Keith is. Despite the training in the Blade of Marmora and months of battling the gladiator, he was practically self-taught, and had never had the chance to learn skills from someone with more expertise. 

Lotor's ability with the sword is the ability that gave him his title as emperor. The ability that killed Zarkon. The ability to force respect of the most brutal of the Galran higher-ups. The source of this ability was standing a mere few feet in front of Keith, engaging in a casual conversation with him. 

However, he didn't know how to go about asking if the Emperor of the Galra Empire would be his sparring partner. He decided to handle it how he normally handles things: jumping into it without much thinking. 

"I guess another reason I asked it, well," Keith licked his lips uncertainty, "I've never had the chance to train with someone who also uses the sword. Y'know, because everyone has a different weapon and everything." 

"You wish to have me as a sparring partner?" The half-Altean question was laced with amusement at the boy's poorly-disguised nervousness. "I believe that would be beneficial for both of us. It is rather empty whenever I train here, and the gladiator is getting quite boring." 

Relief swept through him at the accepted offer. 

"Yea, it does kinda get dull after awhile." Keith chuckled again, a bit more genuine this time around. 

Though they were far from friends, suddenly the idea of becoming closer to Lotor didn't seem too unrealistic. Keith was fine with that, fine with idea of forming a friendship with another sword-wielding half-Galra like him.


End file.
